Mechanism for preparing food products



Feb. 20, 1923.

W. H. HURT.

MECHANISM FOR PREPARING FOOD PRODUCTS.

5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

FILED SEPT- 20 1922.

Feb. 20, 1923.

Wi HA v MECHANISM FOR PREPARING FOOD PRODUCTS:

FILED sEPT.20,1922.

a 5 SHEETSTSHEET 2.

WWII f miter HHurZ 7 I ,w; M fled 192721 1 Feb. 20, 1923, 1,446,091.

w. H. HURT. MECHANISM FOR PREPARING FOOD PRODUCTS.

7 FILED SEPT- 20} I922. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 3- WI ZUeJJ Y i 7 I i I 7mm HHuz-T Feb. 20, 1923. I W. H. HURT.

MECHANISM FOR. PREPARING FOOD PRODUCTS.

5 SHEET-SHEET 4.

FILED SEPT. 20. 1922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

Feb. 20, 1923,

w. u. HURT. v MECHANISM FOR PREPARING FOOD PRODUCTS.

Y FILED SEPT-20.1922. I

Ilffllllldlil'flff Patented Feb. 29, 19230 I WALTER H. irer, or PZAIhl'FiELD Wra se, seme ter;mama f iuncrm' trsm ora PREPARING FOOD rnonuors.

Application filed September 20,1922.- Serial no. 5893831 To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, VAL-TER'IH. HURT, a citizen of the United States, residin at Plainfield 'lownshi nin the county of fient and State of hTIichiga-n, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mechanisms for Preparing Food Products, ofwhich the following is a specification;

The present invention relates to mechanisms for preparing food products; and its object/is, generally, to provide an improved mechanism whereby vegetables or fruits may be crushed and, reduced'to small portions and whereby their skins, seeds and the like may be separated from their edible r-z-irts; and further,- to provide improved which Figure 1 is a front view of mechanism for preparing food products, certain parts v a; of clearness;

Figure 2 1s a'right-hand side View of the bein broken away or omitted for the sake same, the driving pulley being omitted and its shaft sectioned transversely; Figure 3 is a rear view of the upper part of the same; i p

Figure 41- is a top plan view of the upper parts thereof; v

Figure 5 is a'sectionalview (enlarged) of certain parts-seen in the lower portion of Figure 1, taken on vertical planes corre sponding to line 55 of Figure 6; 7

Figure 6 is aplan view of parts seen'in Figure 5, certain parts being sectioned on horizontal planes corresponding to line 6-6ofFigure5;'

"Figure 7 is a top plan view of a-portion of the table of the mechanism and the feeding means, certain parts being sectioned on horizontal planes -correspon-din'g to lineof Figure 8; v

Figure 8 is aside view of the same, oertain parts being sectiemed on vertical planes corresponding to l1ne'88 of Figure 7 Figure 9fis a side view of a portion of the feedingnieans;-showing thesame in an other position,- line 9+9 of Figure 7; and 7 Figu're-IO is a sectional view'of of the feeding means taken on awvertical' ure8.. a a

In" the 'embo'diment of this invention chosen for illustration by the drawings and.

for detailed "description in' the body of this 'speci.ficati0n, the main features are; a cons the" table sectioned on aportion "planeco'rrespondin'g to line 10-10 of Figtainer, designated generally lgtwhich com- :prises side walls 2 and aibottomiwall3 moving like a piston in the container between a position (seen in Figure 8) adjacent the mouth-'45 of the container and a position (seen in F igures 2- and 5): inwardly therefrom; and a plunger fi carrying thd-other end wall 6 of the container which wall moves like a piston from' a position (seen'in Figuresfl, 5 and- 8) outside the container to a positionlseen in dotted lines inFigure 5) inside the container';;-atrleast one of-these walls, preferably the: bottoin wall 3, being foraminous; through whose small" openings 7 thevegetables, as 'boiled potatoes or cooked fruits (in their skins) placecl in the coir- 1 tainer,, mayybe 'forced by the downward crushing movement "of the plunge-rf'the I skinshoweve'r remaining. in-th' container-i Other important," though subsldlary features are: meansLoperableflto 'scrape froni the faces cjf'the endwalls while in their up per positions the "skins of the "vegetables-Eel fruits cleaning means for ssuch-rscrapers; and feeding meansloperating wh'ile the upperend-wall :is at its'uppen'position and subsequently to T the operation. of said scraping means ;-all which will lee-more fully described'hereinafter. I a s; The constructional fo-rmsofthese several parts and the means whereby they are operated may :be very" variousj' preferably however, such constructionsand means are such as appearin the drawingspand are par'ticularly 7 described and explained as follows: The structure illustrated "has a horizontally disposed table portion '8 with anpopening therethrough'formingjthemouth or n: let 4 of the container'l whose sidewalls "l;

areprefera bly circular in crosssection as shown and which may be "furnished' iwlth' a lining '9 removable. for "cleaning purposes.

The bottom wall 3 of the containeris s1idably' carried orreciprocated,"onffvertical I guides 10', between its'lowestiposition,near

- the lower end o-fthe side-walls 2'and ups l permost position (level with the surface of the table), thus sliding freely along but closely fitting the inner surface of the side walls in such movements, by its rack 11 with which meshes the toothed segment 12 rockable on its pivotal mounting 13 .by its arm 14 to whose free end the link 15 is pivoted at 16, the upper end of this link being pivoted at 17 on an arm of the bell-crank lever 18 fulcrumed on the spindle 20 carried by the frame of the mechanism, the other arm ofsaid lever being swung to raise the bottom wall 3 by its roll 21 engaging the inner surface 22 of the cam 23 keyed on the shaft 24 carrying the gear 25 meshing with the gear 26 on the driving shaft 27. The bottom wall 3 is urged to its lower position by the spring 19. 'While in this lower position, the vegetables or fruitsare placed in the container, whereupon the plunger 5, slidable vertically in guides 28. is forced downwardly from its upper position (seen in Fig:- ure 1) by the cam 29 on the shaft 24 and operating on the roll 30 on the plungers upper end. This movement of the plunger carries the upper wall 6 into the container along its side walls, slidably but closely fitting the side walls, thus crushing the vegetables or fruits in the container and forcing; the same in small portions through the openings 7 in the foraminous bottom wall, the skins thereof however remaining in the container to be expelled therefrom by the next upward movement of the bottom wall 3. The plunger 5 is drawn upwardly by the inner surfaces 31 of the cams 32 operating on the rolls 33 on the plungers upper end. Whilethe end walls 3 and 6 of the container are at their upper positions, they dwell therein while the scraping means operate to scrape from the adjacent faces of said walls the skins which have adhered thereto or have been expelled from the container by the upward movement of its bot tom wall. This scraping means comprises a reciprocating member 34, horizontally slid on a guiding rod 85, by its rack 86 meshing with the gear 37 on whose shaft 38 is carried the gear-39 meshing with a rack 40 whose upper end ispivoted at ll on an arm of the beILcra'nk lever42 whose other arms roll 43 1s swung one way or the other to effect the scraping means reciprocation by the cam 44 on the shaft 24; and having the cam groove 45 in which travels the roll 43 of'said arm. This member 34 has pivotally mounted, at 4 6, 47 respectively thereon, scraping elements furnished with scraping blades 48. These scraping blades are spring pressed at 49 to scrapingly contact the faces of the end walls 3 and 6 respectively, by the inward movement of the reciprocating member 3 1, durmg the dwell of these end walls at their upmost position. Adjusting screws 50 limit the movement of these blades toward said end walls respectively. When the scraping blades have reached the end of their scrap ing movement and before they are retracted by the reverse movement of the member 34, they are cleaned by the clea-ningmeans, com prising the brush rolls 51, oppositely rotated bytheir pulleys 52 carrying av belt 53 passing over the driving pulley 54 on the driving shaft 27. An air-pipe whose mouth 56 is adjacent these brush rolls, which is furnished with a suitable fan (not shown), drawsthereinto the skins and the like expelled from the container and reniovcd from the scraping blades.

Means for feeding predetermined amounts of the vegetables or fruits to the container are also desirably provided. As shown, such means comprises a shell 57 open at its upper and lower ends and circular in cross-section so as to correspond and registrarcross-sectionally with the container. This shell is movable horizontally along the surface of the table 8 into and out of registration with the mouth of the container. being slid in the guides 58 to efl ect such movements by its rack 59 meshing with the gear 60, the gear (Bl on whose shaft meshes with the rack 62 whose upper end is pivoted at 63 to the lever 6% whose other arm carries a roll 65 traveling in the groove 66 of the cam 67 on the gear 25. The operative portions 68, 69 of this cam groove slide the shell 57 inwardly into registration with the container (so that the contents of the shell, may fall therein-to) and then retract the shell to the position seen in Figures 7 and 8-all during the dwell of the end, wall 6 in its uppermost position and subsequently to the scraping and retracting movements of the scraping means, A closure '70 to close the bottom of the shell and to open the same when in registration with the container is mounted slidahly relatively to the shell. is the shell is being; re racted toward its position seen in Figures 7 and 8. the spring 72 between the shell and the upturned outer end 73 o the closure is compressed until it is held in cont pression by the catch T l; pirotally mounted at 75 on the shell and spring-pressed at 76 into holding engagen'ient with the keeper 77 on the closure. hen the shell has been moved oppositely and. into registration with the mouth of the container, this .catch tripped by striking the roll 78 on the table; whereupon, the spring 72 at once [expands and. suddenly moves the closure outwardly. thus opening the shell and permitting its contents to fall once into the container. A spout 79 may be provided to deliver the vegetables or fruits to the feeding means. Driving belt pulleys 80, 81 and belt shifting means 82 are shown.v v

For some uses, the container-that is, its side walls-Anny be dispensed, with the table portion 8 extending hor zonta ly witheut and any opening ii: therein andeither the table or the end 6 of the plunger (or. both) beingioraminous, the descent of the plunger in such case operatingto crush the vegetables or fruits on the table and to cause thesame .in small portions to pass through the foraminous part theskins and'the like remaining betweenthe table andthejface; ot

the plunger and being cleared away by t'h'e scrapingmeans, c r

The invention being intended Ito be pointed out in the claims is not to he liniited to or by details of construction ofthe par-- '1. In mechanism of the character de scribed; a container comprising sidewalls and a bottom wall having a piston-like movement therein between a position ad a-J; I j j scribed; a container compr singsidewalls cent the mouth of the container and a posi:

-tion inwardly therefrom; a plungercarryingthe other end wall ,ot the container having a piston-like movement between a position outside the container and a position inside 't, at least one of said walls bein itoi aminous. i q 2. In mechanism of the vcharacter described: a container comprising side walls and a bottom wall having a piston-like movement therein between a: dwell adjacent the mouth of the container and a. position inwardly therefrom a plunger carrying the other end .wall of the container having a piston-like movement between a dwell outside the container and a position inside it,

at least one of said walls being; foraniinous; scraping means adapted'to scrape the face of at least one of the end walls and opera tin; during its dwell. I j

In mechanism of the character described; a container comprising side walls and a bottom wall having; a piston-like movement therein between. a dwell adjacent the mouth of the container and a position inwardly therefrom; a plunger carrying the other end wall of the container having a piston-like movement between a dwell out side the container and a position inside it at least one of said walls beingjlt'oraminous; scraping means adapted to scrape the faces of both of the end walls, and operating during their dwells. v

4. In mechanism of the character described; a container comprising side walls and a bottom wall having a piston-like movement therein between a dwell adjacent the mouth of the container and a position inwardly therefrom a plunger carrying the other end wall of the container havin a piston-like movement between a dwell outside the container and a position inside it, at least one of said walls being fora-minous; scraping means movable transversely to the longi- 4 mg means,

,tudinal direction the container andadapt ed to Scrape h e -elf both of, the end i walls and oileratin durin "thei r lWells.

i j D I D x 5. In mechanisni j'of the "character-fdo;

scribed; a, container comprising [side walls and a bottom-wallhaving a pistonlike niiovementtherein between a dwell adjacent the month of the containei'rjanda posit on inwardly th refrom; a plunger carrying the other vend wall of the container having a side the container and a position insideitjat lo one of said walls being fo-raminous;

scraping); means movable transversely to v longitudinal direction or the container and adapted to scrape the faces of both vof the operation: of'the scraping means.

and a bottom wall having a piston-like movement therein between. aidwell ad the month of the container and a p031 ion -6.- In mechanisms of the, eh -aracterjideent I piston like movement between'a dwell out-' inwardly therefrom; a plnng'er carrying the other end wall of the container ,liai' iiigr a piston-like movement between a dwelloutv side the container anda positioninsid at least one of said walls being foramino sf scraping means movable transversely to the long tudinal direction'tof the container and adapted to scrapethe faces-oflooth the end walls and operating. during; their dwells; cleaning means adapted to cleanjthe scraping means, and operat ng subsequently to the operation of the scraping gmean'sgjan 'air pipe having a montli adjacent the cleaning-;means; meansdfor drawing air into the, v j

7. In mechanism bit the bharacter, do-" scribed; a container comprising" side walls and i a bottom wall having i v movement thereinbetwecn am well adiacent f 3 the mouth of the containerfa nt a position inwardly therefrom; a plunger carrying/the;

mouth of the pipe and through the. pipe.

' pistoii other end wall of the container havingr a piston-like movement haw-seat dwell 01aside the container and aposition inside it, at least'one of said walls being loraminous;

scraping means operating during the dwells of the end walls, and adapted to scrape. the

face of at least one of the end walls, and comprising a member having a reciprocating movement parallel to said face and carrying a pivotally mounted scraping blade sprlng-pressed against said face. a

8. In mechanism of the character described; a container comprising side walls: and a bottom wall having; a piston-likemovement therein between a position ad-' jaeent the mouth of the container and a position inwardly therefrom; a plunger carrying the other end wall of the container having a piston-like movement between a position outside the container and a position inside it, at least one of said walls being foraminous; feeding means comprising a hollow shell open at its upper and lower ends and having a closure for its lower end and being movable into and out of registration with the mouth of the container while the second-mentioned end wall is outside the container.

9. in mechanism of the character dcscribed; a horizontally disposed table; a container comprising side walls extending downwardly from an opening in the table and comprising also a bottom wall having a piston'like movement therein. between. a position adjacent the surface of the table and a position below it; a plunger the other end Wall of the container and having a piston-likemovement between a position above the table and a position inside the container, at least one of said walls being foraminous; feeding means comprising a hollow shell open at its upper and lower ends and movable along the surface of the table into and out of registration with said opening while the second-mentioned end wall is outside the container.

10.1n mechanism of the character described; a container comprising side walls and a bottom wall having a piston-like movement therein between a dwell adjacent the mouth of the container and a position inwardly therefrom; a plunger carrying the other end wall of the container having a piston-like movement between a dwell outside the container and a position inside it, at least one of said walls being foraminous; scraping means operating during dwells of the end walls and adapted to scrape the faces of both of the end walls and comprising a member havinga reciprocating movement parallel to said surfaces and c rrying pivotally mounted scraping blades spring pressed against said faces respectively; feeding means comprising a hollow shell open at its upper and lower ends and morable during the dwell of the second end wall and subsequently to the operation of the carrying scraping means into and out of registration with the mouth of the container.

11. In mechanism of the character described; a horizontally disposed table memher; a plunger member movable toward and away from the table member and having a face parallel with the table member, at least one of said members being foraminons;

' scraping means operating while the plunger member is remote from the table member and adapted to scrape that surface of at least one of said members which is acent the other member. v

12. In mechanism of the character described; a horizontally disposed table nu n her; a plunger member movable tow r l and away from the table member and ha ing a face parallel with the table member at least one of said members being foraminous; scraping means operating while the plunger member is remote from the table member and adapted to scrape that surface of at least one of said members which is adjacent the other member; feeding means comprising a hollow shell open at its upper and lower ends and movable while the plunger member is remote from the table member and subsequently to the operation of the scraping means into and out of a position between the table member and the face of the plunger member.

13. In mechanism of the character described; a horizontally disposed table memher; a plunger member movable toward and away from the table member and having a face parallel with the table member, at least one of said members being foraminous; feeding means comprising a hollow shell open at its upper and lower ends and movable while the plunger member is remote from the table member into and out of a position between the table member and the face of the plunger member.

In testimony whereof lhave'hereunto set my hand at (ll'itl'ld Rapids, lflichigan this 15th day of September, 1922.

WALTER H. HURT. 

